MLB News

Judge hits 51st HR, joins Babe in Yanks' lore

Ties Hall of Famer's club mark for HRs at home (32) in one season

By
Bryan Hoch

September 28, 2017

NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge's remarkable rookie campaign reached another milestone on Thursday evening as the slugger belted his American League-leading 51st home run in the Yankees' 9-6 loss to the Rays at Yankee Stadium.The homer was Judge's 32nd in 75 games at Yankee Stadium, tying Babe Ruth's 1921 tally

NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge's remarkable rookie campaign reached another milestone on Thursday evening as the slugger belted his American League-leading 51st home run in the Yankees' 9-6 loss to the Rays at Yankee Stadium.The homer was Judge's 32nd in 75 games at Yankee Stadium, tying Babe Ruth's 1921 tally at the Polo Grounds for the most homers hit at home in a single season by a Yankee.By working his AL-leading 125th walk later in the contest, Judge became the third player in history, age 25 or younger, with at least 125 runs and 125 walks in a season. Judge joined Ruth (1920, age 25) and Ted Williams (1941 and '42, ages 22 and 23) in that select group.

Judge's opposite-field blast to right field off Tampa Bay starter Jake Faria immediately followed Brett Gardner's leadoff shot, marking the first time that the Yankees have led off a game with back-to-back homers since Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson on April 16, 2012, against the Twins.As the Yankees gear up for October, Judge is enjoying his best month of the season. His career-long hitting streak has reached 11 games, and Judge has reached base safely in 23 straight games, the second-longest streak of his career. He is batting .329/.486/.961 (25-for-76) with 14 homers, 29 RBIs and 26 walks during the streak. Judge also has an extra-base hit in each of his past eight games.